It will be appreciated that there are number of different types of helmets that are used across many different industries; however, they all are a form of protective gear. For example, wearing hard hats is standard practice when working in construction site, as well as when operating heavy industrial equipment, etc. Sports athletes, such as baseball and football players, also wear helmets for protection and it is one of the most critical pieces of equipment for a professional race car driver. Helmets are also used in the military services. One type of helmet that is one of the more commonly seen is a motorcycle helmet. Motorcycle riding helmets are very sophisticated and specialized for the activity.
In recent years, helmet wearers have encountered a wide array of methods by which audio content can be delivered to and transmitted from a helmet, such as a motorcycle or racing car helmet, for example, but not intended to exclude other types of helmets and applications. In most applications, it is very difficult to fit electronic equipment, including speakers and the like, within the tight confines of the helmet due to the presence of protective head padding. In addition, the installation and removal of such equipment is also a challenge.
As is well known, Bluetooth is an industrial specification for wireless personal area networks (PANs). Bluetooth provides a way to connect and exchange information between devices, such as mobile phones, laptops, personal computers, printers, GPS receivers, digital cameras and video game consoles over a secure, globally unlicensed short-range radio frequency. One of the more prevalent applications of Bluetooth is the wireless control of and communication between a mobile phone and a hands-free headset that allows the transfer of sound data between the two devices.
The present assignee has a product that is commercially available under the trade name scala-rider. This product is a wireless communications unit that is adapted to be attached to a helmet and includes a device that interfaces with the Bluetooth functionality of the user's mobile phone. The scala-rider product includes the headset unit (wireless communications unit) that includes the electronics that allow for the wireless communications and a clamp that is configured to mate with and be securely attached to the helmet. The clamp also has an electronic connector portion and includes a wired microphone and a wired speaker. The clamp resembles a cradle that receives and the headset unit such contacts of the headset unit are electrically connected to contacts of the electronic connector of clamp. The clamp serves as the base for the headset and is attached to the helmet before using the headset.
The clamp is attached to the helmet by loosening screws of the clamp and then sliding a back-plate of the clamp between the internal padding and the external shell of the helmet. The clamp is adjusted to a desired location for the user where the speaker sits opposite the user's ear and the microphone is located opposite the corner of the user's mouth. The screws are then fastened to lock the clamp in place and then the headset is slide is slid along the clamp until it snap-lockingly mates therewith. To remove the headset unit (e.g., for security purposes), the back-plate is pressed to allow the headset unit to slide up.
While the above product performs its intended function, there is a perceived need to provide a communications device that mounts to a helmet in a different manner than by securely attached to the shell of the helmet.